The astronauts were selected for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program which works closely with commercial spaceflight companies to design, develop and test cost-effective methods of reaching low-Earth orbit.

Mark Geyer, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, said: “At this moment we have six humans living and working in space about 200 miles above us. These spacecraft will allow us to expand the space station crew.

“This is just the beginning of enduring missions that this country is embarking upon.”

NASA crew: These nine astronauts will fly to the ISS from American soil in the near future (Image: NASA)

NASA crew: Josh Cassada (left) and Sunita Williams (right) will lead the Boeing mission to the ISS (Image: NASA)

Who are the NASA astronauts on the Boeing test flight?

The first two astronauts to embark on this venture aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft are NASA astronauts Eric Boe and Nicole Mann alongside Boeing’s Chris Ferguson.

Mr Boe previously piloted the space shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-126 and the space shuttle Discovery on its final mission in 2011.

Mr Ferguson is a retired Navy captain who piloted the space shuttle Atlantis and commanded the space shuttles Endeavour and Atlantis on missions STS-126 and STS-135.

Mrs Mann is a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps an F/A-18 pilot with more than 2,500 hours of flight spent in 25 different aircraft. This will be her very first flight into space.

She said after the announcement: “It’s absolutely an opportunity of a lifetime. To be involved in the test and development and to be there on launch day, and to experience the results of all that hard work, it’s going to be a proud moment for the team and for America.

NASA is celebrating its 60th anniversary

Who are the NASA astronauts on the Starliner ISS flight?

After the Boeing test flights are successfully completed, astronauts Josh Cassada and Sunita Williams will take the Boeing Starliner into space on its first official mission.

Mr Cassada is a Navy commander who has more than 3,500 flight hours across 40 aircraft on his resume but this will be his first flight into space since being made an astronaut in 2013.

The astronaut said the upcoming mission is evidence Americans working together can achieve the “impossible”.

Mr Cassada is joined by veteran astronaut, Mrs Williams, who has held the coveted title of astronaut since 1998.

She said: “I’m really excited that we’re actually going to be able to take these spacecraft and show them off to our international partners, and have them ride with us to the International Space Station.”